We actually met Mark when he pastored a Presbyterian Church near our College town of St. Davids 15 yrs. ago. This book so far is expanding my views of worship. Too often worship is something that causes wars in church. Us vs. Them. But according to Labberton (and the Bible), worship extends to how we live in the world, not just what happens on Sunday morning.
Worship is way more than music, otherwise all those unmusical can't worship.
Micah 6:8 reads, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God."
Notice that God requires something of us as his followers. It is too bad that some outside the church think Christians don't act justly, are known more for what they are against than what they are for; are proud (self-righteous) about who they are, are hesitant to show mercy. I must say that some of that is true but not across the board. I have met many Christians who are humble, who show mercy and are trying to live justly in the world.
At Frazer UMC this week, teaching pastor John Schmidt said that for most Christians, we need to expand our understanding of Church. Church is not necessarily happens on Sunday morning. When we go to Sunday school, we go to study. When we go on a missions trip, we go to serve. When we go to worship, we call it church. Church is more than Sunday morning worship. One person told me today in a small group at church that they have difficulty understanding how people don't get involved in small groups at church. Church is what happens when we interact with divine truth, when we nurture and keep each other accountable in safe relationships, and when we are involved in ministry to extend the name of Jesus. Church may or may not happen on Sunday mornings.
So, the point of it all is, worship is bigger than Sunday Am, it is the way we live our lives with our families, friends, co-workers, people we interact with. Worship is a lifestyle.
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